Heavies to Fighters Transition in the Guard

[StickShaker]

Howdy folks,

I'm an enlisted dude in the ANG, still a couple years away from finishing my degree in underwater basket weaving (I can still be a hard science major if it matters to the board that much). I'm a private pilot with just shy of 200 hours and have access to a lot more additional flight time in a Cessna 152 barring maintenance issues and other time commitments. Point being, I love flying, and have the tools to get to a professional civilian piloting career. But that's all fine and dandy, I really want to be a pilot in the military as well. I am totally fine with not having a professional civilian flying job if I end up AGR. Joining the military for a career in the airlines was never my intention, if anything it was the opposite.

I struggled with justwanttobeafighterora10pilotitis for a long time. I thought heavies would be like burning holes in the sky with a Cessna. Challenging and fulfilling, but a little lower on the fun meter at the same time. I have a blast any time I fly gliders or taildraggers though. Second point being, I'm not a doucherocket Top Gun wannabe, I appreciate flying any interesting stuff, and have broadened my horizons.

OK thanks for sticking with me to this point. I've "heard" from secondhand sources that a few people have jumped from heavies to fighters within my unit.  Is this plausible or even possible? At what point(s) would be this possible? UPT, or back at the unit? Is it possible for a heavies bound Guard guy to go to ENJJPT? I say this not because I think I'll hate heavies, I just want the option of transitioning to fighters.

Also, if I get to the point where my Guard enlistment runs out and haven't been hired as a pilot, how much would I be losing by trying to switch to the USMC reserves as a grunt and then trying to apply to the flying boards in the Guard from there? Will I be considered a total traitor/dumb jarhead? I say this because, honestly, my job isn't giving me very much satisfaction. I knew it wouldn't going in and planned on switching to either another job in the Guard (a prospect I'm not as excited about) or another branch entirely. 

I know I might come off as an indecisive son of a bitch who wants everything. That's only half true.

Thanks for your time

EDIT: Forgot to say, I did search these forums for an answer on the heavy to fighter thing, but only found a really old thread.

Edited September 12, 2015 by StickShaker

[brabus]

I know it has happened (ex: B-1 dude to UPT instructor, then went to a Viper guard unit), but at the current state I expect it'd be a very difficult sell for a fighter unit to higher a heavy guy.  There are a lot of very qualified fighter pilots getting out of AD and going ANG/AFRES, and probably will be for the foreseeable future - why would a fighter unit, in general, higher a non-fighter guy over the aforementioned?  That all said, anything is possible.

Why not start looking around at fighter units to potentially get hired by prior to UPT (i.e. they send you to UPT)?  If that's what you want, go for it; I imagine your chances of getting into a fighter going that route are higher than staying the heavy path and trying to swap once you're a C-X pilot.  You have a good perspective and in the end, do not pass up a good opportunity to be a mil pilot - at some point if the fighter route hasn't happened, but you have a job offer for a heavy unit, you have to think very hard about passing on that opportunity.

Edited September 12, 2015 by brabus

[stract]

if you love any and all things flying, try helos!

[guineapigfury]

The shortest route to any destination is usually proceeding direct.  Be aware that there is an age limit for UPT, times a wasting.  If you're set on fighters apply to units that fly those.  Don't forget the Navy and Marines fly fighters as well.

[StickShaker]

Thanks for the help, I've got a lot of time, but I think I'll take y'all's advice and try to lock up my preferred aircraft out of the gate and then start exploring additional options (including other services) after a couple years.  I was hoping I'd get the no brainer choice of getting my foot into the door of any kind of aircraft and then evaluating if I still feel like moving to something else or not if I'm already having too much fun. But that's how the real world works. 

Can you give me any insight into what kind of civilian flying jobs or experience would look good and set me apart from the rest? Or anything that'd help. The rumor mill is trying to get in with the fighter unit is like prospecting for an MC and you gotta be the snackos bitch. I can do that, but it's not me either. 

Thanks

Edited September 14, 2015 by StickShaker

[StickShaker]

if you love any and all things flying, try helos!

I love them. Especially the Venom. And if the Raider becomes a reality, that too. Anything that has a dual mission of shooting at stuff and carrying people basically.

[Bergman]

I was hoping I'd get the no brainer choice of getting my foot into the door of any kind of aircraft and then evaluating if I still feel like moving to something else or not if I'm already having too much fun. But that's how the real world works. 

The main problem with your theory is if you get hired by a heavy unit, you will fly T-1s in UPT.  Highly unlikely a fighter unit would even consider hiring you without having at least flown T-38s.  Has it happened before?  Yes.  Is there a chance you could go to ENJJPT and fly -38s even though you're going to a heavy unit?  Yes, but very unlikely.  As was mentioned previously, already-qualified pilots are bailing to every airframe right now, especially fighters.  Trying to get a unit to stick their neck out for some weird one-off T-38 TX course then IFF then B-course unit-transfer guy is extremely unlikely IMHO.

 

[Cranium]

On 9/14/2015 at 8:29 AM, Bergman said:

Is there a chance you could go to ENJJPT and fly -38s even though you're going to a heavy unit?  Yes, but very unlikely.

How does one go about this?

After applying to every Guard fighter UPT board I could find information on over the last two years and visiting as many units as I could, I made it to a couple interviews without getting selected. I am almost 29. I kept going, but followed some advice and started applying for heavies as well. Now I have an offer from a Herk unit! ...however, I have a severe case of justwanttobeafighterora10pilotitis and do not want to give up the dream, whatever it takes. Yes I have read through the ANG fighter pilot lifestyle and other threads here and am ready to take all the queep, briefing, debriefing, exposure suit bladder holding, and whatever else it would take to get even a small amount of flight time.

1. Is it possible to get T-38s in UPT, slightly increasing my chances that sometime in the future I can cross-flow to 11FX?

2. Let’s say I excelled in the T-6, could I get hired by a fighter squadron while in training, just like an unsponsored Reserve stud can? I read on this forum that "You will either sell your mother to be a fighter pilot or you wont”... but it seems that attempting to switch to fighters during UPT would be too far in the ethical gray zone given that a unit already gave me their trust to complete pilot training and come back to fly with them.

I know I should be extremely thankful for what I have, take it, shut up, and be happy to have any flying opportunity. Herks are awesome and I have nothing against heavies, but at the end of the day I want to know that I didn’t give up on my goal and tried everything. Part of me is ready to risk it all and even turn down the C-130 slot just to be able to keep rushing fighter units, even though with my age I’m getting into waiver territory and it will be that much harder to make it over a qualified younger guy.

Thanks if you made it this far any insight would be extremely helpful.

[roto]

On 10/11/2016 at 6:58 PM, Cranium said:

How does one go about this?

After applying to every Guard fighter UPT board I could find information on over the last two years and visiting as many units as I could, I made it to a couple interviews without getting selected. I am almost 29. I kept going, but followed some advice and started applying for heavies as well. Now I have an offer from a Herk unit! ...however, I have a severe case of justwanttobeafighterora10pilotitis and do not want to give up the dream, whatever it takes. Yes I have read through the ANG fighter pilot lifestyle and other threads here and am ready to take all the queep, briefing, debriefing, exposure suit bladder holding, and whatever else it would take to get even a small amount of flight time.

1. Is it possible to get T-38s in UPT, slightly increasing my chances that sometime in the future I can cross-flow to 11FX?

2. Let’s say I excelled in the T-6, could I get hired by a fighter squadron while in training, just like an unsponsored Reserve stud can? I read on this forum that "You will either sell your mother to be a fighter pilot or you wont”... but it seems that attempting to switch to fighters during UPT would be too far in the ethical gray zone given that a unit already gave me their trust to complete pilot training and come back to fly with them.

I know I should be extremely thankful for what I have, take it, shut up, and be happy to have any flying opportunity. Herks are awesome and I have nothing against heavies, but at the end of the day I want to know that I didn’t give up on my goal and tried everything. Part of me is ready to risk it all and even turn down the C-130 slot just to be able to keep rushing fighter units, even though with my age I’m getting into waiver territory and it will be that much harder to make it over a qualified younger guy.

Thanks if you made it this far any insight would be extremely helpful.

1. C-130's arn't heavies.

2. You could always have gone AD if you wanted a pointy nose that badly.

[Cranium]

24 minutes ago, roto said:

1. C-130's arn't heavies.

2. You could always have gone AD if you wanted a pointy nose that badly.

Today I learned heavies weigh over 300,000 lbs and the C-130 is half of that at most.

yeah also considering applying to the AD board

[tk1313]

On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2015 at 4:24 AM, StickShaker said:

Howdy folks,

I'm an enlisted dude in the ANG, still a couple years away from finishing my degree in underwater basket weaving (I can still be a hard science major if it matters to the board that much). I'm a private pilot with just shy of 200 hours and have access to a lot more additional flight time in a Cessna 152 barring maintenance issues and other time commitments. Point being, I love flying, and have the tools to get to a professional civilian piloting career. But that's all fine and dandy, I really want to be a pilot in the military as well. I am totally fine with not having a professional civilian flying job if I end up AGR. Joining the military for a career in the airlines was never my intention, if anything it was the opposite.

I struggled with justwanttobeafighterora10pilotitis for a long time. I thought heavies would be like burning holes in the sky with a Cessna. Challenging and fulfilling, but a little lower on the fun meter at the same time. I have a blast any time I fly gliders or taildraggers though. Second point being, I'm not a doucherocket Top Gun wannabe, I appreciate flying any interesting stuff, and have broadened my horizons.

OK thanks for sticking with me to this point. I've "heard" from secondhand sources that a few people have jumped from heavies to fighters within my unit.  Is this plausible or even possible? At what point(s) would be this possible? UPT, or back at the unit? Is it possible for a heavies bound Guard guy to go to ENJJPT? I say this not because I think I'll hate heavies, I just want the option of transitioning to fighters.

Also, if I get to the point where my Guard enlistment runs out and haven't been hired as a pilot, how much would I be losing by trying to switch to the USMC reserves as a grunt and then trying to apply to the flying boards in the Guard from there? Will I be considered a total traitor/dumb jarhead? I say this because, honestly, my job isn't giving me very much satisfaction. I knew it wouldn't going in and planned on switching to either another job in the Guard (a prospect I'm not as excited about) or another branch entirely. 

I know I might come off as an indecisive son of a bitch who wants everything. That's only half true.

Thanks for your time

EDIT: Forgot to say, I did search these forums for an answer on the heavy to fighter thing, but only found a really old thread.

If you 100% without a doubt see yourself flying fighters and nothing else, here is the order in which I would attempt to become a fighter pilot:

1. Be a freaking "hard science" major if you still have the opportunity,

2. Apply to ANG/reserve fighter units, and finally...

3. If the age limit is closing in on you, go AD AF or USN/USMC and work your ever-loving tail off to track fighters... If you fail to get a fighter, but still pass UPT, thank the man above for letting you be a military pilot... the next 8-10 years of your life are probably going to be awesome.

Edited October 25, 2016 by tk1313